UCI to 'strengthen' TUE procedures after Froome fiasco

UCI president Brian Cookson makes assurances that therapeutic use exemption procedure will be strengthened

Brian Cookson

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) President Brian Cookson said that he will work to strengthen the therapeutic use exemption (TUE) application procedure after coming under fire for Chris Froome's corticosteroid case.

"Nobody cheated, nobody lied, nobody got exceptional treatment," Cookson wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

"Nevertheless, to avoid similar controversies in the future, to reassure the fans, to continue the process of restoring the damaged image the sport, and to help protect everyone involved, those procedures will immediately be strengthened."

France's Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper reported on June 15 that the UCI expedited a steroid exemption for team Sky's Froome ahead of the Tour de Romandie in May.

The 2013 Tour de France champion, who suffered from a mild chest infection, was allowed to take 40mg per day of the oral corticosteroid prednisolone during the race that he won by 28 seconds over Simon Spilak (Katusha).

Sky and UCI under scrutiny for Chris Froome's steroid TUE

Calls made to tighten up the Union Cycliste Internationale's procedure for administering Therapeutic Use Exemption certificates

Chris Froome and Sky respond to inhaler video

Sky's leader was filmed puffing on an asthma inhaler during stage two of the Criterium du Dauphine

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Gregor Brown

Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.